Skullgirls: The Unauthorized Cut
by BlandGardener
Summary: A hybrid of scriptwriting and prose that will bend the rules of both as the girls look to take down the skullgirl Marie in her reign of terror.
1. Prologue

***Author's Note: This won't be 100% faithful to the art of scriptwriting so don't be surprised if I make up some terms and what not.  
**

**.**

**Fade In:**

**EXT. - a stormy October night in the Canopy Kingdom, just outside of the gloomy Grand Cathedral. For years, the Grand Cathedral has been a cornerstone of the community. Only recently, has the controversy of its rumored connection to the skullgirl driven parishioners away. **

**Zoom In: A Cadillac Phaeton buggy pulls over next to the curb in front of the cathedral steps. The car belongs to LUCCA SORZA, a high-level enforcer for none other than the Mediccis. More on them later; Lucca's standing is so high with the organization that even technically as a 'muscle', he doesn't drive his own car. He is in the backseat. His driver, TONY CHEDDAR and his right hand, MANNIE LUCAS, are in the front. They check their Browning handguns, checking the clips and turning the safeties on. **

**LUCCA took a moment to look outside the window. It was really coming down; lightning struck, followed by thunder that would wake a few babies in the nursery that night. **

**LUCCA (looking out of his window, into the storming sky): Some weather, huh?**

**.**

**Cut To: The three men opened the large fifteen foot-high cathedral doors. Tony and Mannie held open an umbrella for their boss, getting a bit soaked themselves as they stepped inside. All of them wore expensive suits, coats, and fedoras that looked like something gangsters might wear. None of them bothered to wipe their shoes as they stepped into the vestibule or main lobby of sorts. There were no lights to be seen. The only illumination was the two lit candles on either side of the entrance to the nave and sanctuary setting. **

**EXTREME CLOSE UP: In the far corner of the room, across from the three men, stood a strange grandfather clock. Its pendulum swung back and forth, accompanied by the loud clicks of its second hand. What really weirded them out was the large hourglass of sand seated behind the pendulum. The sand was on its last grains, about to run out. How did that work? The thing was brightened by a flash of lightning that invaded the room through the window above it. **

**PAN OUT: Lucca stared at it for a second more before he led his boys through the nave entrance. **

**.**

**Cut To: The boys walked past row after row of pews. Again, the only illumination in the room were two long rows of candles running along the entire room on either side, leading up to the altars in the front. They looked up at the stained glass windows. **

**SERIES OF EXTREME CLOSE UPS: A) One stained glass window portrayed a black-haired woman wearing glasses. B) Another window depicted a golden-haired woman wearing a white veil and an hourglass of sand in place of her torso. C) Most of the windows seemed to depict a white-robed woman with a crown of five points and half of her face missing. D) On the back wall, behind the altar and array of candles, hung an upside-down cross, high on the wall.**

**PAN OUT: Lucca scoffed at their idea of 'saints'. Mannie thought the place was an affront to God and formed a cross in front of himself for even being in the abomination of a church. Lucca and his men walked to the front pew to the left and sat down, waiting for somebody. While they sat, they bowed and prayed, not to the woman god of the Great Cathedral but to the Judeo-Christian God. **

** A few minutes later, a nun walked out of the office by the altar and stopped when she saw them. **

**NUN (approaching them cautiously): Can I help you gentlemen this evening?**

**The men looked her over. **

**PAN TO: The nun wore a habit similar to what they were used to seeing their catholic nuns wearing, only her white coif bore the same pointed crown design that one of the stained glass saints wore. Her black veil ran all the down to her ankles. She had icy blue eyes and a single lock of blonde hair hung beneath the top of her coif, hinting at her prettiness. She wore a medallion of the upside-down cross of her faith but what really bugged them was the fact that she looked pregnant under her robes. The last time they checked, nuns were supposed to be virgins. What kind of establishment was this church supposed to be running?**

**LUCCA (standing along with his goons and showing respect by taking off his fedora and holding his hand for her to shake) :Yes, sister…**

**NUN (she looked at his hand with barely contained disgust but shook his hand nonetheless) : Alberta. You can call me Sister Alberta.**

**She shook hands with the other two as well. **

**LUCCA (chuckling a bit): Well, sister it's an awkward situation actually. You see, years ago before I came up in this world and before you were probably born, the Mediccis owned this property. The Mediccis allowed this church to be built in exchange for…you can call it an offering. Now, this has been the agreement for years. The church has always come through with its payment but lately, not so much. You understand, right?**

**Sister Alberta (crossing her arms, before playing with her cross a bit): I think I follow. See, I'm gathering that you have some sins to confess. Now, I can hear your confessions. If you would just follow me one at a time…**

**MANNIE: Look, lady; you can sit on you kooky Satan cult religion! Go to that back office, check your books and give us some scratch!**

**LUCCA turned to MANNIE and placed his hands on his shoulders. **

**LUCCA (whispering): You're losing control, man. **

**MANNIE (nodding, after a second's hesitation): Yeah…yeah, I know, man. Sorry. **

**LUCCA: I got this. (He turned back to Sister Alberta and began talking to her again) I'm sorry about my associate. He's a bit of a hothead. I sympathize with you; I really do. You're a nun. You're not an accountant but if there's anything you can give to appease my bosses. Anything; it might save you and this church. Maybe you have a safe?**

**SISTER ALBERTA: You get nothing. **

**Lucca stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded in understanding. He then looked at the candles on both sides of the room. His guys had been with him so long so they knew what he meant. **

**PAN OUT: Tony walked through some of the pews to one side of the room, while MANNIE walked to the other side. MANNIE picked up one of the candles and looked over at SISTER ALBERTA. **

**EXTREME CLOSE UP: SISTER ALBERTA's completely emotionless face. **

**Mannie took the candle and took it upside-down before placing right in the seat of pew, catching it on fire. A small flame formed on the seat, before it disappeared completely. Mannie grew confused and irritated. He moved to ignite the pew again when suddenly **_**he **_**himself burst into flames. **

**MANNIE: Aaagh!**

**Mannie ran off towards the confession booth and stumbled to the floor. TONY put his candle down and ran towards Mannie to try to fan him out but SISTER ALBERTA stepped in his way. He ran right into her and was flung backwards off of his feet just from hitting her. **

**LUCCA: What the hell is this?**

**MANNIE was completely engulfed in flames behind her, rolling on the ground and burning in agony. **

**SISTER ALBERTA/DOUBLE (her voice began to change as a monstrous undertone began to match speed with her feminine human speech and her eyes grew milky-white): **_**You dare vandalize the house of the Holy Trinity? **__**You're such a man. You must suffer the pain of death a thousand times over for this affront!**_

**TONY tried to crawl from her but DOUBLE's right arm stretched out and formed a giant mouth out of her palm. TONY screamed out in pain. DOUBLE's second mouth had swallowed his legs up to his knees, biting down just below them. DOUBLE then yanked him across the ground towards her, leaving a trail of blood. A hole formed in her abdomen, which was where she stuffed him. He tried to scream out but the hole closed again over his face, silencing him. She regained her original nun form, looking as innocent as ever. **

**LUCCA (taking out his gun and training it on DOUBLE. He stumbled over pews in a feeble attempt to get away): Stay away from me, monster! Stay back!**

**DOUBLE (clasping her hands in front of her body in prayer as she slowly approached him): **_**Oh, it's too late for that, Lucca. Please join me in prayer. Great Mother, I humbly thank you for this meal I'm about to enjoy. I thank you for the oxygen that I breathe. I thank you for the home you have you seen fit to shelter me in. The purpose which I have been given.**_

**LUCCA began shooting her repeatedly but it had no effect. **

**DOUBLE: **_**I only wish that my humble offering will appease you. In the image of your great name and the names of your daughters-**_

**EXTREME CLOSEUP: DOUBLE leapt up high in the air above him and the pews before splitting her entire body in half like a hot dog, revealing a fleshy closet of spikes on both sides, coming down on him. He screamed as she closed her body on him like an iron maiden. **

**PAN OUT: When she landed, her body squirmed slightly, absorbing them. She then stood up and looked towards the confession booth at MANNIE's charred corpse. **

**DOUBLE: **_**Amen.**_

_**.**_

**BEGIN TITLES. **

**FOLLOW: as Double walks back to the back office by the altar. Upon opening the door, she walks down a winding staircase to the church's dungeon. The dungeon of pour souls that could find no peace because they were destined to become a soldier of the SKULLGIRL. Double walks in on MARIE, the skullgirl, seated at a bench with a skinless corpse on the table in front of her. The girl was dressed in the same clothes she wore as a slave, a little maid's outfit that would've been funny if she didn't eviscerate people in that same outfit.  
**

**MARIE (without turning to look at Double): I smell the stench of Medicci on you.  
**

**DOUBLE: _Only by proxy. They sent an enforcer to retrieve from the church. I dispatched them. They will send more._**

**MARIE (turning to look at her): I think I've made a breakthrough.  
**

**The corpse behind her sat up and turned its head at Double.  
**

**CORPSE: All Medicis will die.  
**

**MARIE: The Medicis are supposed to be throwing a soiree tomorrow at the Cirque de Cartes. We're going to be there.  
**

**DOUBLE: I ache with anticipation. **

**.**

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\SKULLGIRLS: THE UNAUTHORIZED CUT\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

** \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Written and Directed By: BlandGardener\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**


	2. A Great Start to a Marvelous Evening

**FADE IN:**

**EXT: Outside of Medici Tower**

**A reporter, a pretty, purple-haired young woman named CHASITY JONES is on the scene with a microphone, a cameraman and a grip trying to make a story. Behind her was a long line of upper class New Meridian citizens just waiting to get in to see the Cirque de Cartes in person. **

**PAN IN: Chasity Jones as she stands in front of the crowd on camera. **

**CHASITY JONES: Chasity Jones here with New Meridian news, bringing you the most interesting stories in the Canopy Kingdom. Here I am tonight at Medici Tower, which has opened its doors to the public to house the ever-popular Cirque de Cartes inside of its very halls for one night only. For the first time ever, cameras and patrons will be allowed access to the mysterious monument of prosperity. Just look behind me.**

**SWEEPING SHOT: of the crowd behind Chasity Jones, just waiting to get inside. There was a red rope at the head of the line as well as a ticket counter booth and a crew of gigantic security guards who looked like no joke. **

**Chasity Jones: I don't know about you guys at the studio but I'm excited for tonight's events. I'm excited. Stan's excited and everybody behind me are excited about what tonight holds in store. **

**.**

**CUT TO & ZOOM IN: Near the front of the line, a young amnesiac girl named FILIA steps towards the ticket counter with fifty dollars. She wore a Trinity school uniform and a button-down sweater over that as she always did because it was a part of a life she couldn't remember and wanted desperately to hold on to as a result. Over her head, she wore a tan cloche hat wrapped in a purple ribbon. The show was already sold out but thankfully, Filia had already bought her ticket. She was one place from the front of the line. **

**PAN OVER: Behind Filia stood a dapper man in a pinstripe suit and glasses along with his wife on his arm in an equally elegant red dress and black fur coat. **

**SWEEPING SHOT (UPWARDS): starting from the back of Filia's brown buckled flats, up her black knee-high socks, bare plump thighs until it centers on the backside of her short school girl's skirt. This shot is taken because this is precisely the path the man's eyes traveled behind her. **

**MARION (the man's wife): Robert! Are you leering at that little hussy! **

**In response, Filia tried to pull her skirt down lower in the back, blushing as she did so. **

**Robert: Wha...uh...uh...uh...O-of course not, Marion! I would never!**

**MARION (gasped before she slapped him in the face): Liar!**

**CLOSE-UP SHOT: Filia covers her mouth, stifling a laugh before forcing herself to wear a straight face. Her irises are red, something that's supposed to be unnatural but is a sign that she's either a skullgirl (or directly linked to the skullgirl) or that she has a powerful parasite feeding off of her mind and body. **

**Filia steps to the front of the line in front of the ticket counter. **

**Ticket counter girl (holding out her palm): Ticket, please?**

**Filia handed over her ticket. **

**Ticket counter (marking a code on her ticket with a marker before handing it back to her): There you go, honey. Enjoy the show. **

**Filia (moving past her): Thank you.**

**.**

**CUT TO: INT-Main Auditorium Theater**

**This was where the actual show was taking place and it was quite large, able to sit well over a hundred people. It was usually reserved for opera and theater shows but the Medici arranged for their own sponsored circus troupe to perform. The stage was largely dismantled and replaced with a circular pit with a dozen spotlights shining down on it. The circus crew were installing trapezes, aerial silks and tightropes with really high ladders and safety nets. **

**PAN TO: Seated early near the middle of the center column and center row, was none other than the loopy anti-skullgirl PEACOCK. She was a peculiar-looking android wearing a purple wide-bottomed dress, a red ribbon tied to her chest and a purple top hat. Her arms were spindly, segmented rods of steel, adorned with six artificial, near-indestructible eyes. The eyes on her face were toon-like dot sockets, complete with silhouetted eyelashes. **

**As the girl obsessed with cartoons, it would only make sense that her cronies were cartoon inspirations themselves. In the theatre seat to her right sat her closest companion, a miniature blue bird robot wearing a smaller replica of her dress and top hat named AVERY. On her left, was a mute regenerating bomb with arms, legs and a fuse named GEORGE but they mostly called him LITTLE BOY. Seated behind her were her two muscle, ANDY ANVIL and TOMMY TEN-TONS. Andy's entire head was anvil with a mouth and eyes on top of human-like arms and legs; he always wore red boxing gloves, knee-high white socks and sneakers. Tommy Ten-Tons looked like a massive weight with a face and arms who wore white gloves, pinstripe dress pants and loafers. All of them aided and served Peacock's best interests and beat up whoever she needed beating up. **

**Peacock kicked her boots up on the seat in front of her, spreading her arms and eyes over Avery and George's seats as Avery lit the cigar in her mouth with a match. **

**Peacock (muffled): Why thank ya, kind sir! **

**Peacock took a long drag on the cigar and the smoke exhaled from one of the sockets on her face.**

**Andy Anvil: Say, boss...**

**Peacock: Hmm?**

**Andy Anvil: Do you think this circus is gonna be worth a damn this time? Remember when it stunk up the place at the River. **

**Peacock (taking the cigar out her mouth): Well, that all depends...on if that broad with the hooters headlines again. What was her name again? Sally or somewhat?**

**Tommy: Cerebella, boss. **

**Peacock (looking over her shoulder at him): Oh, right! Cerebella! Kinda like Cinderella! I forgot that Tommy has a crush on the bimbo! Do you think that's ever gonna happen, Tommy?**

**Tommy:...it might...**

**Peacock (taking three quick puffs on the cigar): The only reason _I_ care is I want to see if she goes splat one day off of those swings! Imagine that ink blot!  
**

**She and the rest of her gang shared a laugh except for Tommy, when a human couple moved down the row over to Tommy and Andy, dressed in a suit and a dress. The man looked down at his ticket. **

**The Man: Um, I believe these are our seats. **

**Peacock (turning around in her seat to look at him): What is this now?**

**The Man: Um, these are tickets say these are our seats and it seems your friends are sitting there. Now, their seats could actually be next to you...**

**Peacock (shrugging): Nah, see I only have one ticket, but my buddies ... they wanna see the show; what can you do? **

**The Man (nodding): See, that's the problem. Now, if you'll move...**

**Peacock: Hey, Tommy; you think you can move?**

**CLOSE UP: Tommy turned his whole body back and forth, which is how he shakes his head. **

**Peacock: See, mister, it's been a really long day for us and we're very tired. I don't even think Tommy _can _move. Aren't you too tired to move, Tommy? **

**CLOSE UP: Tommy rocked his whole body forward and back, which is how he nods. **

**Peacock: I'll tell you what, I'm gonna help you out. My boys are real tired, mister. I don't think they can move. It'll help both of you out if you could just move them. If you move Tommy and Andy, you can have those seats. **

**The couple looked at Tommy. Again, Tommy is an anthropomorphic weight.  
**

**Peacock (winking with one of her sockets): Just one thing, remember to squat down and lift with your legs. Wouldn't want to throw ya back out; I'm sure the old lady wouldn't appreciate _that_ later tonight! Eh? Eh? **

**CLOSE UP: Avery actually produced a small drumset, smacking the drums twice before slapping the cymbals once to punctuate the joke. The couple just wondered where the little bird got the drums from so fast. **

**SERIES OF CLOSE UP SHOTS: A) The couple looking down at Tommy Two-Tons in concern. B) Tommy looking back up at them with his same nonchalant face. C)The man's face looking at Tommy. D) Tommy's face looking back. E)The man's eyes. F) Tommy's eyes. G)Avery, popping some popcorn in his mouth, enjoying the tension. H) George, sitting on Peacock's shoulder and producing sweat. **

**The Woman (grabbing the man's shoulder): Henry, let's just go. **

**The Man: Okay, Janet. Let's. **

**The couple quickly took their leave. **

**Peacock (shouting after them): If we found out you ratted on us, we'll find ya and put the hurtin' on ya! **

**Andy: You sure showed em' what's what, boss.**

**Peacock put her cigar out on the armrest of her seat. **

**Peacock: Know what? I got the fix for this. **

**She reached into her back and pulled out a whiteboard sign and a marker. She stuck out her tongue as she wrote her message down and finished it. She then put it down by the seats next to them. **

**Avery: Don't you think you need to put it out farther, boss?**

**Peacock: You're right! People are such losers. Wouldn't want to catch their dumb-cooties. **

**Peacock walked out five more seats and set down the sign. **

**CLOSE UP: the sign said 'Reserved for Cool ToonZ Inc'. **

**She went back to her seat and worked on another sign for the other side of them.**

**. **

**CUT TO. INT- MEDICI TOWER LOBBY**

**Filia (looking out over the lobby): Wooow. This place is niiice.**

**WIDE AREA SHOT: Filia was looking out over the brightly lit lobby to the Medici Tower. Most of the people there were dressed for a high-class affair. Off to the right was a long line at a gyro-rolling popcorn machine. A concession stand with a larger assortment of food was farther down the hall with a line almost as long. In the center of the hallway were several performers acting as pre-shows. There was a jester juggling knives and a strongman lifting two skimpy-dressed women in one hand each high above his head. Both were surrounded by growing crowds. At the end of the hall was a grand, golden elevator presumably leading all the way up to the top of the tower. Two burly tuxedo-wearing gentlemen stood on either side of it.**

**SAMSON (hidden by Filia's cloche hat): Eh, it's nothing special. Don't forget why we're here. **

**Filia: Never!**

**A man in a suit passed Filia on her left to descend down the steps to the lobby but happened to look at her as Samson was talking to her and she responded. He stared at her as he walked. **

**Close Up Shot (from the man's point of view): Filia standing there in a her schoolgirl uniform, sweater, and cloche hat. She looked at him, bending one leg at the knee and holding her hands over her lap as she wrung out her hands in a shy and fidgety fashion. Of note were the red irises in her eyes and her black pupils, as well as the deep voice that seemed to emanate from nowhere. **

**Filia watched him speed up towards the lobby to get away from her. **

**Samson: What an uptight pansywaist. **

**Filia: Samson! Be nice! **

**Samson: I'm just saying... anyway, forget about that. You know why we're here. **

**Filia: The skullgirl? Are you sure she'll be here?**

**Samson: She won't be able to resist. Believe me. We're not going into the theatre until we have to. In the meantime, let's get some pizza. A slice for you and a slice for me. I think I see some at the concession stand. **

**Filia (twiddling her fingers): But...um... I'm not really ... hungry? **

**Samson (sighing): Now, you remember what I said earlier, right? The more energy we have, the stronger we'll be when we fight the skullgirl. You want your memories, right?**

**Filia: Yeah...I mean...I guess you're right...**

**Samson: Of course, I'm right. Just listen to me, kid. I'm not going to let you down. Now, let's go get some pizza. **

**Filia walked down the steps towards the concession stand and crept through the crowd to get to it.**

**.**

**CUT TO: INT- Concession Stand**

**The concession server slid a small plastic tray of hot dogs and a large drink over the counter to a young mother and her little girl. The mother took the food while the little girl reached up over the counter to slide the drink towards her. **

**Mother: What do you say, Carrie?**

**Carrie: Thank youuuu!**

**Server (smiling): You're welcome, sweetie. Enjoy the show. **

**CLOSE UP SHOT: A back shot of the next person in line. She was wearing a long trenchcoat and **

**a thin, furry tail swishes back and forth from a split in the back of the coat, even thumping against the camera a few times. She wore no shoes, casually tapping her two-inch long razor sharp claws on a feet on the carpeted floor which was something she enjoyed immensely. She had platinum-blonde hair to her neck, parted by her pointy cat ears; she was a feline humanoid after all, referred in Canopy as a felinian. Her name was NADIA FORTUNE, called by those who knew of her famous thievery skills as Ms. Fortune. **

**CLOSE UP SHOT: Ms. Fortune's excited face as she leaned toward the concession server girl. Her shiny blue eyes shone with tears of pure joy. **

**Nadia: Yes, I can has cheezburger?**

**.**

**Cut To: INT- Top Floor of Medici Tower (Lorenzo Medici's office)**

**CLOSE UP SHOT: A wall of monitors were sticking out of the ground in front of DON LORENZO MEDICI's desk. They were the eyes of Lorenzo's many cameras throughout the tower. There were a few inside the auditorium but our camera focuses in on the image of Ms. Fortune at the concession stand. **

**BLACK DAHLIA, the family's chief assassin and Lorenzo's bodyguard, is standing at his left side. She is wearing a stunning, shimmering purple split dress and a black mask covering her face. Attached to her right arm was a wide-barreled modified launcher that was capable of firing a variety of shells that includes explosives. **

**Black Dahlia: That feline is an enemy, Don Medici. **

**Lorenzo: Oh? **

**Black Dahlia: She was a member of the Fishbone gang. My girls and I made fillet out of them and catnip out of her. **

**Lorenzo: Yet there she is.**

**Black Dahlia: She stole the Life Gem and must've swallowed it. **

**Lorenzo (resting his chin on his hands): I see; another one of Vitale's screwups … and yours.**

**Black Dahlia (raising her gun): Let me finish it, don. I'll take the Life Gem back. **

**Lorenzo: No. No. Leave her be, Dahlia. We wouldn't want to ruin the goodwill we've built in this town by slaughtering a cat in front of the high society. Think of the children. No, you can settle your blood feud later. If she acts, then you have my permission to act … but only discreetly. **

**CLOSE UP SHOT (on one of Lorenzo's monitors): Filia stepped into the concession line on camera and looked upwards around the room. **

**Lorenzo saw her and zoomed that camera on her from the control on his desk. **

**Black Dahlia: What is it, Don Medici?**

**Lorenzo: That girl … there's something about her … so familiar. **

**Black Dahlia: It's probably nothing. She's just a normal brat. **

**Lorenzo: No … my guts are never wrong.**

**CLOSE UP: Filia stared up directly at the camera for a second, showing her red eyes before casually looking off in another direction.**

**Lorenzo: Keep an eye on that one. Spread the word. **

**Black Dahlia: Yes, Don Medici. **


End file.
